Automatic actuation of the uptake valves in a coke oven battery



F. WETHLY March 29, 1966 AUTOMATIC ACTUATION OF THE UPTAKE VALVES IN ACOKE OVEN BATTERY Filed June 13. 1961 K m M M 0 V5 r \mW r m Y B UnitedStates Patent 3 243 360 AUTOMATIC ACTUATlON or THE UPTAKE VALVES IN ACOKE OVEN BATTERY Frans Wetlily, Manhasset, N.Y., assignor to Alliedphemical Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledJune 13, 1961, Ser. No. 116,780 3 Claims. (Cl. 202256) This inventionrelates to a coke oven battery having a collector main and valvecontrolled uptakes leading from each coking chamber into the collectorrnairi.

In such coke oven batteries, the valves throttling the flow of gasevolved in the coking chamber-s into the collector main, control thepressure within the coking chambers. These valves are adjusted duringthe coking cycle to maintain positive pressure conditions in the cokingchambers at all times throughout the coking cycle, particularly near thesole of the coking chambers, where unless the flow of gas from thecoking chambers is throttled towards the end of the coking cycle, thepressure tends to fall due primarily to the reduction in gas evolutiontowards the end of the coking cycle. Such operation of the valvescontrolling flow through the uptake pipes into the collector main tothrottle the flow of gas and thus maintain positive pressure conditionstherein in the coking chambers is important particularly in modern highcoking chambers where the height of the coking chambers exerts a markedstack effect on the lower portions of the coking chambers. Unless theflow of gas from the chambers is throttled adequately towards the end ofthe coking cycle, negative pressures are created in the lower portionsof the chambers with all of the objections incident thereto, such asleakage of fuel gas and air into the coking chambers. Adequate controlof the pressure within the coking chambers is important not only fromthe standpoint of minimizing the adverse effect of gas leakage but alsofrom the standpoint of ob ectionable carbon formation on the wallsthereof, which takes place when gas or air leakage into the cokingchambers occurs.

The mechanism heretofore proposed for operating the individual valvescontrolling the flow of the gas evolved in the coking chambers throughthe uptakes into the collector main or mains were either operatedmanually or by excessively complicated automatic mechanism. Suchautomatic mechanism heretofore suggested was relatively expensive bothin first cost and to maintain in operating condition.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a cokeoven battery with mechanism automatically actuable during the cokingcycle to control the gas pressure in the coking chambers, whichautomatic mechanism is simple and rugged in design and efiicient inoperation. Hence as compared with the automatic mechanism heretoforesuggested, the mechanism of the present invention effects a markedsaving in initial cost as well as in maintenance expense.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification andshowing, for purposes of exempl fication, a preferred form of thisinvention, without limiting the claimed invention to such illustrativeinstance.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in vertical section, and partlyin elevation, looking at one side of the battery toward the collectormain positioned along the length of the battery and shows the upper endportion of the battery; and

FIGURE 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevationtaken in a plane passing through line 22 on FIGURE 1.

The drawing shows the upper portion of one end of 3,243,369 PatentedMar. 29, 1966 a coke oven battery comprising the battery superstructure10 having therein at one side of the battery the ports 11 leading fromthe top of each coking chamber 12 into the uptake pipe 13 individuallyto each coking chamber at one side of the battery. As conventional, thecoking chambers 12 are arranged in side by side relation separated bythe heating walls 9. Each uptake pipe 13 has a heat insulating jacket 14thereon. It leads from the top of its coking chamber into a collectormain 15 extending along the length of the battery, on one side thereof.It will be appreciated that the present invention is applicable to allknown coke oven batteries having one or more collector mains includingbatteries havipg collector mains at the opposite sides thereof. In thelatter type of batteries the structure hereindescribed for a batteryhaving a collector main at one side thereof is duplicated on both sidesof the battery.

In the battery as shown on the drawing each uptake pipe 13 is providedwith a gooseneck discharge end 16 disposed within the collector main 15as clearly shown in FIGURE 2. A liquid-seal type valve 17 of a knowntype, such as those disclosed for example in United States Patents2,424,865 of July 29, 1947 or 2,759,885 of August 21, 1956 is employedto control the flow of gas evolved in the coking chambers through eachuptake pipe 13 into the collector main 15. One such valve 17 and itsactuating lever arm 21, hereinafter described, is individual to eachuptake 13 for controlling and throttling the flow of gas therethroughinto the collector main 15. This liquid-seal type valve 17 comprises avalve pan 18 pivoted on shaft 19 for movement from the fully openposition shown in dotted lines and indicated by A in FIGURE 2, through aseries of throttling positions B, C and D, to the valve closed positionE shown in the full lines, and back to position A. Such movement of thevalve is effected by the mechanism hereinafter described actuating alever arm 21 having end 22 fixed to the shaft 19 on which the valve pan18 is mounted and having the opposite end 23 suitably counterweighted bya counterweight 24 which balances the weight of the valve pan 1-8 whenempty. Lever arm 21 has a lug 25 for receiving one end of an actuatingcoil spring 26 hereinafter described in greater detail.

As conventional, each uptake 13 is provided with a spray 27 for sprayingwater or other liquid into the gas stream passing through the uptake. Anadditional spray 28 is disposed in the discharge gooseneck end 16 of theuptake for spraying water or other liquid thereinto. The collector main15 is provided in its top with sprays 31 spaced along the lengththereof; desirably one such spray is provided just above each gooseneck16 of each uptake.

When the valve pan 18 is in the E or closed position, liquid from sprays28 and 31 fills the pan to the overflow point providing a liquid sealwhich effectively seals the discharge gooseneck 16.

A shaft 32 constituted of one or more sections is disposed along thelength of the battery at the side thereof adjacent the uptakes 13journale-d for rotation in suitable bearings 33 on supports 34positioned at spaced points along the length of the battery. Keyed tothis shaft at spaced points along the length thereof are a plurality ofactuating discsl35, one for each coking chamber and individual theretoas clearly shown in FIGURE 1. Each disc 35 has near its periphery, aseries of spaced openings 36. End 37 of each operating coil spring 26 isinserted in one of these openings, as will be described hereinafter. Forthis purpose end 37 is provided with a hook so that it can be readilyslipped into and removed from an opening 36 in the disc 35.

Shaft 32 is driven through the reduction gearing 38 by an electric motor39 suitably mounted at one end of the battery. The reduction gearing 38effects relatively slow rotation of shaft 32 so that this shaft makesone complete revolution during each coking cycle which may beapproximately 18 hours more or less in duration, depending on the designof the coke oven battery. This shaft 32 (or in the case of a longbattery two or more such shafts, one for each section of a battery)effects actuation of all the discs 35, each of which is individual toone and only one coking chamber 12 and its uptake 13 and has individualthereto a separate coil spring 26 for actuating the valve pan 18controlling the flow of gas through the said uptake into the collectormain 15.

The description of the operation which follows will refer throughout toone and the same coking chamber during one coking cycle. When thecharging of that chamber is commenced, its valve pan 18 is in the fullopen A position. Before commencing charging, the operator attaches end37 of the coil spring 26 to an opening 36 in the disc 35 individual tothe coking chamber being charged, which opening is in the positionindicated by F in FIGURE 2. Since each control disc 35 has the openings36 therein in side by side relation extending completely about itsperiphery, atleast one opening is always in proper position to receiveend 37 of coil spring 26.

Shaft 32 is shown rotating in a counterclockwise direction. As the shaft32 rotates, during the initial period of the coking cycle, the disc 35is slowly rotated in a counterclockwise direction. Hence during thefirst approximate 60% of the coking cycle while the disc 35 movesthrough an arc of about 200, the actuating spring 26 does not move thelever arm 21. The coil spring 26 when thus attached at its opposite endsto an opening 36 in the F position and the lug 2 on the pivoted lever 21respectively, is under tension, which as the disc 35 rotates is firstreduced or lessened during rotation through about a 90 arc. Thereafterthe tension is restored to it original condition through the next 9 0are. A downward force is not exerted on the lever arm 21 until the dischas rotated about 200. This for an 18 hour coking cycle represents about13 hours of the coking cycle.

During the next 70? of rotation, a downward force is exerted whichprogressively increases slowly moving the valve pan upwardly through theB, C and D throttling positions v i Since the counterweight 24 balancesthe pan 18 when empty, little force is required to initiate the closingmovement of the valve 17/ As the arm 21 moves in a direction to effectclosing of valve 17, the counterweight 24 moves with it to increase theleverage exerted by arm 21 and thus aid in effecting the closingmovement of valve 17 under the influence of coil spring 26. A

At or near the end of 270 of rotation of disc 35 when the springexercises its maximum downward pull, the valve 17 is in the fully closedor E position. This corre sponds to the end of the coking cycle when thecoking chamber is ready for pushing. The counterweight 24 is then in thefull line position shown in FIGURE 2 where it exercises through arm 21adequate force on valve 17 to maintain it closed during the pushing ofthe coking chamber. 2

The operator disconnects the end 37 of the spring 26 from disc 35 afterthe valve 17 has been moved to the fully closed position; this permitsthe disc to complete its rotation without interference between thespring 26 and the shaft 32.

When the operator is ready to effect recharging of the coking chamberthe end 37 of the spring 26 is again attached to its control disc 35 ashereinabove described, after the valve 17 has been moved to its fullyopen position A; this, as described above, is done before the chargingis commenced.

It Will be appreciated that by proper spacing of the openings 36 in thecontrol discs any desired rate of throttling during the latter portionof the coking cycle can be obtained.

It will be noted that the present invention provides a coke oven batterywith mechanism automatically actuable during the coking cycle to controlthe gas pressure in each coking chamber, which mechanism is simple andrugged in design, involving as it does a control disc, individual toeach coking chamber, rotatable to make one revolution per coking cycleand connected with the operating lever for the valve controlling flowthrough the uptake by a simple detachable flexible connection which isreadily attachable to the control disc to effect actuation of thisvalve.

Since different embodiments of the automatically actuated uptake valvescould be made without departing from the scope of this invention, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A coke oven battery comprising, in combination, side by side cokingchambers; a collector main disposed along the length of the 'battery; anuptake pipe leading from the top of each coking chamber into saidcollector main, a pivoted valve individual to each uptake pipe forcontrolling the flow of gas theret'hrough into the collector main; andmeans for automatically actuating said valve, said means comprising anactuating arm for effecting pivotal movement of said valve to open andclose said valve, a rotating shaft extending longitudinally of thebattery, a control disc on said shaft individual to said valve androtatable with said shaft, said disc having at least one opening nearits periphery, and a readily attachable and detachable flexibleconnection individual to, extending between and joined to said actuatingarm and to said disc to actuate said arm to effect gradual closing ofsaid valve upon rotation of the portion of said disc to which saidflexible connection is joined through a predetermined portion of thepath of rotation of said disc.

2. A coke oven battery comprising, in combination, side by side cokingchambers; a collector main disposed along the length of the battery; anduptake pipe leading from the top of each coking chamber into saidcollector main; a pivoted valve individual to each uptake pipe forcontrolling the flow of gas theret hrough into the collector main, saidvalve being movable from one pivoted position where the discharge end ofsaid uptake pipe is unobstructed through throttling positions throttlingthe flow of gas through said uptake pipe into said collector main, to avalve closed position and "back to said initial position where thedischarge end of said uptake pipe is unobstructed; and means forautomatically actuating each of said valves during the coking cycle,said means comprising a shaft extending along the length of the battery,control discs on said shaft, one for each coking chamber and individualthereto, each of said discs having a series of spaced openings near itsperiphery, a pivoted arm for moving said valve from said valve openposition, through said throttled positions to the valve closed position,and a readily attachable and detachable flexible connection between saiddisc and said pivoted arm.

3. A coke oven battery comprising, in combination, side by side cokingchambers separated 'by intervening heating walls; a collector maindisposed along the length of the battery at one side thereof; an uptakepipe leading from the top of each coking chamber at the collector mainside thereof into collector main; a liquid seal valve having a pivotedvalve pan individual to each coking chamber, disposed in the collectormain and arranged to be moved from a position where said pivoted pan isspaced from the discharge end of such uptake pipe, through a series ofthrottling positions throttling the flow of gas through the dischargeend of said uptake pipe, to a position where said pivoted pan containingliquid seals the discharge end of said uptake pipe and back to, saidfirst mentioned position; and means for automatically actuating each ofsaid valves during the coking cycle, said means comprising (1) anactuating arm for moving said pivoted pan having a portion thereofextending externally 1,545,058 7/ 1925 Merritt 202--256 of saidcollector main; (2) a shaft extending along the 1,547,196 7/1925 Arbon251294 length of the battery; (3) control discs on said shaft, one2,211,156 8/1940 Otto 202255 for each coking chamber and individualthereto, each of 2,266,949 12/1941 Becker 202256 said discs having aseries of spaced openings near the pe- 5 2,620,673 12/ 1952 Whitcomb251-299 riphery thereof; (4) a coil spring having one end readily2,727,933 12/1955 Evans et al. 260-679 attachable to and detachable fromone of said openings 2,759,885 8/1956 Thompson 202-256 in said disc andthe other end secured to the end of said FOREIGN PATENTS arm disposedexteriorly of said collector main; and (5) means for rotating said shaftto make one complete revo- 10 693,228 6/1953 Great Brltamlumen durmg thecokmg cycle' MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner. References Cited by theExaminer ALPHONSO LIVA Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS J. H. HALL, N. H.SILVERSTEIN, J. SCOVRONEK, 1,544,945 7/1925 Seixas 2s1 294 15 AssistantExaminers.

1. A COKE OVEN BATTERY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, SIDE BY SIDE COKINGCHAMBERS; A COLLECTOR MAIN DISPOSED ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE BATTERY; ANUPTAKE PIPE LEADING FROM THE TOP OF EACH COKING CHAMBERINTO SAIDCOLLECTOR MAIN, A PIVOTED VALVE INDIVIDUAL TO EACH UPTAKE PIPE FORCONTROLLING THE FLOW OF GAS THERETHROUGH INTO THE COLLECTOR MAIN; ANDMEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATING SAID VALVE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING ANACTUATING ARM FOR EFFECTING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE TO OPEN ANDCLOSE SAID VALVE, A ROTATING SHAFT EXTENDING LONGITUDIANALLY OF THEBATTERY, A CONTROL DISC ON SAID SHAFT INDIVIDUAL TO SAID VALVE ANDROTATABLE WITH SAID SHAFT, SAID DISC HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING NEARITS PERIPHERY, AND A READILY ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE FLEXIBLECONNECTION INDIVIDUAL TO, EXTENDING BETWEEN AND JOINED TO SAID ACTUATINGARM AND TO SAID DISC TO ACTUATE SAID ARM TO EFFECT GRADUAL CLOSING OFSAID VALVE UPON ROTATION OF THE PORTION OF SAID DISC TO WHICH SAIDFLEXIBLE CONNECTION IS JOINED THROUGH A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF THEPATH OF ROTATION OF SAID DISC.